GYTO Friday Notebook Double

Halic will have his supporters being a son of Golden Horn but I think he might need further to be seen at his best and he just got going too late over this trip at Wolverhampton last time. VEGA SICILIA makes more appeal for me having got his head in front impressively at Wolverhampton last month and there was lots to like about his neck second at Southwell last time. He should get a stronger gallop to run down here and I think he’ll be finishing best under James Doyle. Percy Jones won by 10 lengths at Wolverhampton last time but he was entitled to go and do that and this will be a much sterner test of his credentials and I think he’ll be found wanting. Tralee Hills has won over C&D and ran better in first-time blinkers when third over track and trip a fortnight ago. He might go better than his odds imply if managing to build on that.

I was with SAINT SEGAL at Hereford last time and I thought he won with plenty in hand. His win at Chepstow before that was impressive too so he is looking a progressive young chaser now. He is up 7lb but remains open to further improvement and I’m keen to keep him on side as this looks a good opportunity to complete the hat-trick. Before Midnight has been freshened up since finishing third to Boothill at Ascot and will be a danger back down to his last winning mark here. Xcitations is also on a hat-trick after bolting up at Sandown when last seen. He is up 7lb to a career-high mark of 140 now though so this is going to take a big performance to come out on top again. Mackenberg is another one on a roll at present making it 5 wins from his last 6 starts at Doncaster in November but he goes up in grade now and is going to need to find more.